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Those are the thoughts of renowned mountain and ultra runner Joe Grant, who has been testing the pack for several months in both winter and summer conditions on Colorado’s high peaks.
The RACE ELITE 24 has been totally revamped for spring / summer 2015, delivering the ultimate 24-litre running rucksack. Now with the same front design and straps as our award-winning RACE ULTRA VEST, the RACE ELITE 24 is light (330g), fast and comfortable, boasts on-the-fly-bungee compression and is also ice axe compatible. With its big capacity, the RACE ELITE 24 is the perfect pack for long days in the mountains, be that in winter, summer or any other season.
Joe, who will kick off his 2015 season by competing in February’s Costa Rica Coastal Challenge (a 230km point-to-point race incorporating jungle, rainforest and mountains), has been training with the RACE ELITE 24 on his back.
He said: ‘I started testing the Race Elite 24 pack last winter, mainly for running and some winter climbing. For these activities, I needed a pack that would be runnable, stable and light, but still able to hold a decent amount of gear.’
‘I would routinely carry a rope, crampons, helmet, some climbing gear and extra clothes in the back and strap an axe on the loops intended for that purpose. This is a rather heavy amount of gear (4-5 kg), but thanks to the vest straps and teardrop design of the back compartment, I could still comfortably run with the pack.’
‘The compression system is also very effective at easily stabilizing the load even with less kit in the back. The full-length zipper on the rear compartment makes it easy to access gear without having to pull everything out. This was practical as I’d carry heavier items (such as crampons) at the bottom of the pack, but wouldn’t have to disrupt all the rest of my gear to get to them.’
‘Again, the vest system worked really well at keeping the load stable and allowing me to run on sections of trail that I’d typically have to hike with a conventional style pack. I’d carry a camera, water and food up front for quick access.’
‘All in all, the RACE ELITE 24 is a simple, well-designed pack for those looking to run while carrying more kit than on a standard outing. It is well suited for mountain marathons and fast and light mountains pursuits.’
The RACE ELITE 24 features six adjustability straps ensuring one size fits all. Two large mesh pockets at the front double up as bottle holders. The pack includes one 500ml softflask, while a small whistle is attached in case of emergency. The RACE ELITE series also features the same pack in both 8 and 16-litre versions.
